Socket-wrench kit



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 13, 1931. N. F. MCNAUGHT ETAL SOCKET WRENCH KIT Filed Oct. 11, 1928 NbrfzLS Effe Afa Edward 1% Jan. 13, 1931. Y N. F. MCNAUGHT ET AL 1,788,535

SOCKET WRENCH KIT Filed Oct. 11. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,jizz/@22h75 A707726' FMH/@@7225 Edy/afd 'H/rz 199%675072/ Jah. 13, 1931. N. F. MCNAUGHT ETAL 1,788,535

SOCKET WRENCH KIT Patented Jan. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE MORRIS F. MenAUCIITANn EDWARD Hanny PETERSON; or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, As-

sIenoRs To :DURO METALirnonuccrsCoivII A1\'IY,or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,y `'ie-CORPORA- TION 0F ILLINOIS f SOCKET-WRENCH KIT Application fueaoctober 1i, 192s. semiv 311,772.

The present invention relates to socket wrench kits,V andis particularly concerned with kits adapted to hold a 4plurality `of socketwrenches'and other actuating. devices 5 ina convenientand accessible` assembly.

One of the objectsof'the invention is *they provision of a socket wrench krt which is more `compact than the kits ofthe prior art,

l partioularlywhen the kit is opened for selec- 1G' tion of a socket wrench7 so thatthe kitmay be opened in a tool bag or'the like and the wrenches used withoutremoving the whole kit Afrom the bag.

Another Objectis the provisionof a socket wrench kitass'embly comprising a plurality;

of socket ywrenches a wrench lever, a ratchet lever, and a holding'device in which the component parts are secured together in a` novel and lconveniently accessiblemanner. u 7 Another objectisthe provision of a novel holding device for socket. wrenches', wrench lever, ratchet lever and stub shaft,- which is more compact; more'conveniently used and more economically manufactured than thev 25. devices of the prior art.,

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will beapparentfrom the following description and from the' accompanying drawings in which similar charactersfof reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views; 7

.Referring to the drawings, of which there are three sheets, y

Figure-1 is a plan view of a socket wrench kit assembly withthe wrenchlever partly broken away to showthe.ratchet'lever;

, Figure 2 is an elevational view of the same;

'the right end taken on the ing device'pa'rtially opened with the wrenches removed; v .Figure 9 is an elevational ,view .ofa modi-y fied form of socket wrench kit;"

Figure l0 is an elevational Lvievv ofthe right end of Figure 9.;

Figure llris an elevational view of theleft end of Figure 9; andA Figure l2is a view in perspectiveV of the wrench and lever holding ydevice withxthe wrenches andlever removed.

Referring to Figures l and '2, 20'indicates my socketwrenchkit or assembly in: its entirety,`the kit of this embodiment comprising a pluralityv of'socket wrenches 2l of Vconventional form, a ratchetlever 22, a Wrench lever 23%` a combined stub shaft and screwdriver 24, and a holding device for'the foregoing elements indicated in its entirety at 25.

The socket wrenches comprise aplurality of metal members provided with non-circular sockets 26 at one end for receiving the wrench 23 on they stub 'shaft 24';` and having wrench sockets at the other end varying in size from the smallest socket'wrench on the left to the largest on the right.

The ratchet lever 22 may consist of any con# ventional type ofk ratchet lever having a socket 27 adapted to receive one end of the stub'shaft 24,` the socket 27 vhaving the usual one way ratchet connect-ion with the handle 28. The wrench lever 23 comprises anelongatedhexagonal bar having one end 29 bent down at lsubstantially right angles, and either end 0I" the wrench lever 23 is adapted to be received `in any of the sockets 26 of the socket wrenches "21, being retained therein by-frictional engagement of aV spring pressed ball 3Owithv the YinteriorV of ythe sockets 26. 'The' wrench lever isprovided with the usual projections Sl'pinched out of the bar for limiting fsa movement of thewrench `into the Isocket 26 of a socket wrench.

- The stubsha-ft 24 consists of a short length ofheXagonal bar provided with projections 31,-'and spring pressed balls 30 adjacent each endlof'theihexagonal portion,l and the stub shaft 24 may also have one end 32 formed like 'a screw driver. TheeXact details of the socket'wrenches, ratchet lever. and'wrench lever may be varied, as the present invention relates particularly to the assembly or kit which holds said devices.

tainer 33 isthus provided with side of sulii` cient height so that the socket wrenches21 will be .retainedI therein when the retaining member 39 is in the position shown in Figures 1to4. p I n v The retaining member 39 may also comprise a sheet metal member having a fiat base 40 bounded at each side by upwardly pro-y jecting flanges 41 and 42, and the base 40 may conform substantially to the outline 0f the ratchet lever 28, in order to enclose and protect the same and provide a finished appearance. `'Thus thefbase 46 isprovided with a relatively wide portion at V43.for receiving the socket end of the ratchet lever, the base A taperingat 44 with the .handle of the ratchet lever, andthe balance of the basejbeing sub-V stantially as wide as the handle of thevratchet lever to the end 45 of the ratchetlever. p

The flanges 41 and 42 likewise conform to the shape of the ratchet lever 28, and these flanges are provided with upwardly extending ears 46 and 47 adjacent the socket end of the ratchet lever, and `upwardly extending ears 48 and 49 adjacent the handle end of the ratchet lever. The ears 46 to 49 arereach bent over at .substantially right angles lto form retaining flanges 50, 51, 52 and 53 adapted to engage above the ratchet lever'28` when the parts are 'in the position shown in Figure 1.

YIt will thus be observed that the ratchetlever 28 may be laid upon the base 40 with the handle end pointing toward the retaining flanges 52 and 53, and the ratchet lever may be slid beneath theretaining flanges to 53, the upwardly projecting ears 46 to 49 resiliently engaging the sides of the ratchet lever to retain it in 'place and prevent it'from sliding out Iwhen the kit is on end'.

The Vretaining meinber39is also provided at the oppositeendgwith a pairfofupwardly projecting 'flanges 54 and 55 one on each side of the space beyond the end 45f of the ratchet lever .28, and a tongue 56 maybe pressed up out of the base 40 in order to .confine the stub shaft 24 in the spaceV betweenthetongue56 and the ratchet leverI 28. i i

For this ypurpose also the flanges. 54and 55 may curve outwardly slightlyat V57and 58 to make room for the stub shaft 24, and the flanges` 54 and 55may curve inwardly at their upper ends 59 and -60 for the purpose of resiliently engaging the sides of the wrench lever 23 adjacent one end thereof. The wrench lever 23 may then be placed with its end 29 inthesocket of the` ratchet lever 22, and the opposite end of the wrench lever 23 may be held by theresilient lingers 59 and 60, thereby confiningpthe stub shaft 24 be neath the wrenchlever'-23; j

It will thus be observedthatthe ratchet lever 22 is employed for holding the wrench lever 23in the assembly of my socket wrench lkit, thereby Vsimplifying the construction of the holding device and utilizing the structure of the :ratchet lever for assembling theparts of the kit.

The retaining member 39 is also provided at each end with .downwardly extending flanges 61 and 62 located to engage outside the flanges 37 and 38 carried by the receptacle 33, and the Vflanges 61 and 62 may be pivotally connected to the llanges 37 and 38 respectively by-screw bolts 63 passing through the flanges 61 and 62 and threaded in the flanges 37 and 38. The apertures forthe screw bolts 63 are preferably located at the rear and. bottom corner 64 of the ilano'es 37 38, 61 and 62, so that the retaining member-39 may pivot backwardly without interference with the tops of the socket wrenches 21.

The vflanges 37, 38, 61 and 62 may be provided with complementary pressed projections 65 adapted to engage within each other when theparts are in the closed position shown in Figure2 to resiliently retain the retaining member in the closed position. Our holding device for the socket wrenchy kit is preferably constructed of sheet steel so that the parts are resilient andthe flanges retain the shape given them in their construction,

without .the necessity of welding the corners of the receptacle or other parts; y, Y

By pivoting the retaining member 39 upon the longitudinal aXis of the receptacle 33, our wrench kit may be opened Without materially increasing its size, as distinguished from the devices of the -prior art, iny Whichthe length of the kit is doubled when the device is opened. Furthermore, a kit of the present construction may be opened in a tool bag without removing the kitfrom the tool bag,

thereby reducing the danger of losing the v kit by permitting it to lie around outsider of the bao" and increasing the accessbility of the socetfwrenches 21. The kit may alsov be opened'more quickly, requiring' a shorter Y rangeqof movement. for opening the entire kit when a wrench is to be selected, and it is notnecessary to disturb the entire assem- Y bly of wrenches merely to use-a certain socket wrenchL l y v Y `Referring to the embodiment shown in Figures 9 to 12, this socket-wrench kitis adapted Gli to support the socket wrenches and `lever without the ratchet lever and stub shaft, but the present embodiment is similarin form to the preceding construction in many ofthe details of construction and in having itsretaining member 39 pivoted on a lovigitudiiial axis relative to the receptacle 33. v`lrl`he receptacle 33 is provided'with a similar base of substantially trapezoidal form having lateral flanges 35 and 36, and an upwardly pro jecting flange 37 at onel end similar to the device of the preceding embodiment.

At the opposite end the upwardly proj ect` ing flange 66 may be of substantially the same height as the flanges 35and 36 to adapt the same for use with the retaining member 39, which in this embodiment has a-slightly difvferent shape.

rllhe retaining member 39 comprises an elongated sheet metal member having a substantially flat base 67 and a downwardly projecting flange 61 similar to the preceding embodiment. At the opposite end, however, the 'base 39 may be made substantially wider and provided with a downwardly projecting flange 68, a flange 69 parallel to thebase 67 and a pivot flange 70. The flanges 61'and 70 may be pivoted to the flanges 37 and 66 on the receptacle 33 by screw bolts 63 as in the preceding embodiment, and these flanges may also be provided with similar complementary depressions 65 forretaining the device in closed position. If desired, a hole maybe drilled in one of the flanges instead of forming a depression 65, the hole co-operating with the projection on the adjacent flange in substantially the same way.

The flange 69 of the retaining member 39 is provided with an aperture 71 adapte-d to receive the end 29 of the wrench lever, and the retaining member is provided at each side with flanges 72 and 73 extending upwardly from the base 67 at an angle of substantially sixty degrees to conforinto the shape of the hexagonal wrench lever 23. At

the end of the retaining member 39, oppo#v site to the end for the aperture 71, this member is provided with upwardly projecting flanges 74 and 7 5 which may be bentover at their ends forming retaining flanges 7 6 and 77, conforming substantially to the sliapeof the hexagonal wrench lever 23, andadapted to receive the same. It will thus be observed that the wrench lever 23 may have its straight end slid beneath the flanges 76 and,AA 77, and the resilient character of these flanges will still permit sufficient pivotal vmovement so that the right angle end 29 of the wrench lever 23 may be moved' into the aperture 71.

A conventional spring pressed ball on the end 29 of the wrench lever 23 will retain the lever in the aperture 71, and the edgesof the aperture 71 will prevent longitudinal sliding movement of the lever 23 so that its oppo site end is retained by the flanges 76 and 77.

havean end 32 formed like al screw driver,

if desired.

It will thus berobserved that the socketv wrench kits ofthe present -inventionjiiro-` Vvide a convenient and accessibleassembly of socket wrenches and actuating devices which isi-more compact than the devices of the rior art and vwhich may be quickly and ecomically manufactured by stamping theV y sameof sheetmetal,l

As the retaining member forth-e socket wrenches is pivoted. on a longitudinal axis .of the kit, alljof the socket wrenches may be 'made accessiblefor selection by a very slight movement of the parts, and the kit may be.

opened in a tool bag or the like without disturbing theassembly of wrenches or without removing the kit from the bag. Y ,Y

lhile we have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of our invention, many modifications may be made without depart` ing from the spirit of the invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of i all changes within the scope of the appended claims. Y j

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a socket wrench kit, the combination of a longitudinally tapered container having a base and upwardly projecting'retaining flanges for holding a plurality of socket wrenches, with a retaining memberhaving downwardly extending pivot flanges at each end, said pivot flanges being pivoted to the end retaining flanges of said container, interlocking formations carried by said pivot and `end flanges for holding said retaining'member in closed position, ratchet lever retaining flanges carried by said retaining member,

andwrench lever retaining flanges carried by said retaining member. Y

2. In a socketwrencli kit, the combination ofa longitudinally tapered container having va base and upwardly projecting retaining flanges for holding a plurality of socket wrenches, with a retaining member having downwardly extending pivot flanges at each end, said pivot flanges being pivoted to the end retaining flanges of said container, in-

terlocking formations carried by said pivot and end flanges for holding saidretaining member in closed position, ratchet lever retaining flanges 'carried by said retaining member, wrench lever retaining flanges carried by said retaining member, a ratchet lever carried by said ratchet lever retaining flanges, and a wrench lever having one end disposed in a socketin said ratchet lever and Y the other end held by said taining fianges.

3. In a socket wrench kit, the combination wrench lever reof a longitudinally tapered container having 7 f Y a base and `upwardly projectingV retaining flanges for holdingv a plurality of socket Wrenches, with a retaining member having downwardly extending pivot {ianges at each end, said pivot flanges being pivoted to the end retaining flanges of said container, interlocking formations carried by said pivot and end flanges for holding said retaining niember in closed position, ratchet lever retaining flanges carried by said retaining member,v

wrench lever retaining flanges carried by V said retaining member, a ratchet lever carried by said ratchet-lever retaining flanges, a Wrench lever having one end vdisposed in a socket in said ratchet lever'and the other end held by said wrench lever retaining flanges, and a stub shaft carried between said retainingf member and said wrench lever.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe Y i' our names this 6th day of October, 1928.

NORRIS F. MCNAUGHT. i EDWARD HENRY PETERSON. 

